This invention is directed to apparatus for transferring ketchup from one narrow-necked ketchup bottle to another, and which apparatus is adapted to be rapped against a solid surface to effect relief of any clogged condition in the flow of the ketchup that might arise in the process.
Apparatus of this nature is needed particularly in restaurants, where it is customary to refill ketchup bottles remaining partially filled in order to avoid waste by transferring the contents from one partially filled bottle into another. The slow moving characteristics of ketchup, together with the narrow necks of the glass bottles, not only makes the refilling process time consuming, but also presents other problems; such as clogging of the ketchup flow, leakage, and possible chipping of the bottles.
Devices attempting to supply this need are known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,877,499; 3,266,533; 3,156,272; and 3,261,380. In these patents the bottle to be drained is set by hand in an inverted position over the bottle to be filled, and it is either coupled to the latter bottle by means of a coupling element, as in the first three of these patents; or it is left in glass-to-glass contact, as in the fourth patent. These several devices lack an efficient means for obtaining a quick inversion of the one bottle relative to the other. Spillage is likely to occur by the time the inversion is properly obtained. The coupling elements without more are in inadequate support for the heavy inverted glass bottles, so that the coupled bottles would be in an accident prone condition. In the patent where the inverted bottle is left in glass-to-glass contact with the lower bottle, not only leakage but also chipping of the bottles is likely during the inversion process.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,860,048 and 3,286,849 also disclose apparatus for transferring fluid from one bottle to another. However, in these the apparatus is cumbersome; and the bottles to be drained obtain an undesirable angular position subjecting the draining fluid to exposure and possible contamination.
Further, the arrangements in these known devices appear to be impractical to permit the apparatus to be sharply rapped against a solid surface when it is desired to hasten ketchup flow of to dislodge a clogged flow condition. Such action could possibly result in toppling, cracking or dislodging the bottles.